Hey, Chip, here’s a thought. If you win the toss, take the damn ball this week.
Last week the Eagles got a chance to match up against one of the very few elite teams in the NFL. It did not go well. The Birds got dismantled by Bruce Arians, Carson Palmer and the Cardinals.
And yet the Eagles continue to hold their destiny in their own hands. All they have to do is win. A loss in prime time Saturday at the Linc vs. the Redskins will eliminate them. A win means they are alive for another week, with the chance to win the division vs. the Giants on the season’s final week.
First things first. The Eagles must find a way to control Kirk Cousins and the Redskin offense. And yes, DeSean Jackson is itching for the chance to stick a fork in his nemesis Chip Kelly. Maybe the best way for the Eagles to keep D-Jac and company in control is to take control of this game on the ground. Pound the ball at the Redskins with their troika of running backs. Hey, this might actually be the week to see Sam Bradford embrace the read-option and actually pull that ball back a couple of times.
If the Eagles can avoid big plays against Cousins and Jackson, they should be able to handle a Washington team that has won all of one game on the road this year.
Then again, this is the Eagles. They’ve gone belly up before this year.
This time, with their season on the line, I think they get it done.
The Pick: Make it Eagles 24, Redskins 23. The Birds live another week with a last-second Caleb Stugis field goal lifting them to the win. It would be so like this team to win and then fail to show up vs. the Giants.
Last Week: The Eagles got a good look at a good team – and learned just how far they are from achieving that status. Chip Kelly’s team got exposed again, in particular on defense.
Season Record: I’m sitting at an ugly 6-8 after mistakenly backing the Birds last week. So far it’s been that kind of season. Every time I think this team has turned a corner, they fall flat on their face again. We continue to sport matching records. That ugly loss vs. the Cardinals left the Eagles at 6-8 as well, but still alive in the NFC Least.
Game by Game: Falcons 26, Eagles 24. (My Pick: Eagles 37, Falcons 26)
Cowboys 20, Eagles 10 (My Pick: Eagles 31, Cowboys 26)
Eagles 24, Jets 17. (My Pick: Eagles 27, Jets 23)
Redskins 23, Eagles 20. (My Pick: Eagles 26, Redskins 13)
Eagles 39, Saints 17. (My Pick: Eagles 23, Saints 13)
Eagles 27, Giants 7. (My Pick: Eagles 27, Giants 16)
Panthers 27, Eagles 16 (My Pick: Eagles 26, Panthers 23)
Eagles 33, Cowboys 27 OT (My Pick: Eagles 23, Cowboys 13)
Dolphins 20, Eagles 19 (My Pick: Eagles 33, Dolphins 16)
Bucs 45, Eagles 17 (My Pick: Eagles 17, Buccaneers 16)
Lions 45, Eagles 14 (My Pick: Lions 23, Eagles 16)
Eagles 35, Patriots 28 (My Pick: Patriots 33, Eagles 17)
Eagles 23, Bills 20 (My Pick: Eagles 26, Bills 17)
Cardinals 40, Eagles 17 (My Pick: Eagles 27, Cardinals 26)
Comments